NikkoIA SAS to use Siemens AG innovative photodetectors technology to produce near infrared image sensors.
Moirans/Grenoble (France) – June 23rd, 2011. Newly created Grenoble startup NikkoIA SAS becomes a prominent player in near infrared imaging by signing a worldwide and exclusive license agreement on a patents portfolio and associated know-how developed by Siemens AG.
Created in May 2011, NikkoIA SAS aims at designing and manufacturing photodetectors and multispectral image sensors in the visible and near infrared spectrum (0.7 – 3µm). It takes advantage of an innovative technology developed by Siemens Corporate Technology, which provides a significant cost benefit over existing near infrared sensors, and whose technical specifications enable the development of new applications on its target markets.
Technology innovation. The combination of both organic and inorganic materials sensitive to specific wavelengths and deposited as thin film layers onto industry-standard electronic substrates leads to high-performance and cost-optimized sensors. Among the technology benefits, the great versatility in sensor size (up to several hundreds of square inches), shape, sensitivity and resolution, as well as a simplified manufacturing process brings a technical answer to nearly any requirement. The process compatibility with any reading substrates (CMOS, amorphous Silicon thin-film transistor backplanes or printed electronics in the future) ensures leverage from the latest technical developments and the best market costs. Functional sensor prototypes have already been built and tested.
License agreement.
« Our labs are recognized worldwide for developing disruptive technologies » said Dr Joachim Wecker, leader Global Technology Field « Organic Electronics » at Siemens Corporate Technology. « We wanted to make the most out of 10 years of research and experience on these organic photodetectors and photodiodes. The proposed project and the motivation of NikkoIA’s founding team convinced us they are the right people for this » he added.
« Our vision consists in mastering the photodetection layer, as a key element of our know-how and products, and in considering related electronic reading systems as commodities », explains Alain Jutant, NikkoIA SAS President. « With Siemens technology at the core of the imaging device, this agreement provides a strong intellectual property on our core competencies ».
NikkoIA SAS and Siemens AG have signed a worldwide and exclusive license agreement on an extensive patents portfolio, either already granted or in the process of being so. This agreement is completed by a transfer of technology and know-how from Siemens AG to NikkoIA SAS to speed up the industrialization phase.
Fast growing market. NikkoIA SAS intends to use this technology to develop detectors and image sensors in the visible and near infrared parts of the spectrum.
« Our products enable more intuitive and less invasive systems and solutions in the medical, security and user interfaces markets », said A. Jutant. « Our markets are clearly identified and the first feedbacks from our target customers are very encouraging, all the more since these markets are strongly growing and are tightly related to our everyday lives ».
By settling down in the Grenoble area in France, NikkoIA SAS and its future production facilities reinforce and benefit from the rich environment in electronics, semiconductor and imaging competencies, and the local world-renowned infrared industry.
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Siemens AG exclusively licenses imaging technology to NikkoIA SAS (pdf)